The Portland daily press., 1887-08-05
PROFESSOR MOSES LYFoRp.
Death of an Old Master of the PORT
land Boys High School.

Professor Moses Lyford, LID, died about
6 o'clock last evening, at the home of Mrs.
Jonas Clark. No. 1872 Congress street, where
he was visiting. His disease, an affection of
the stomach of long standing became worse
several days ago, and he failed very rapidly.
Professor Lyford's death will be learned
with the sincerest sorrow by large circle of
friends and acquaintances in Maine, and es-
pecially by many in this city, where he was
for six years the master of the Boys High
School. He was born in Mt. Vernon, Me-,
in the year 1916. His father, Deacon Dudley
Lyford was prominent member of the
Mt. Vernon Baptist church ;'and it was be-
fore he left his home that Professor Lyford
became connected with the denomination of
which he was for all the rest of his life a
prominent and faithful member
In 1S43 he was graduated from Colby Uni
versity, then Waterville College, and at once
entered upon the profession which was to
be his life work From 1S43 to 1916 he was
principal of the Kennebunk Academy, of
Kennebunk, Me-. from 1916 to 1850 he was
principal of the Townshend Academy in
Vermont, now the Leland and Green Bay
Academy. In 1850 he came to Portland and
took charge of the Boys High School, which
was then separate from the Girls High
School. Among his pupils in those days
were many who have since borne testimony
both by words and by their careers to his
faithful labors. There were Congressman
I. B. Reed, Judge j. w. Symonds, ex-May-
0rs c. +. Libby and NJ. +. King, DIR. G. M.
p. King, now President of Wayland Semi
nary, and DR.. Joseph Elder. now of New
York city. In 1856, Mr.. Lyford was called
to the chair of mathematics and natural phi
losophy at Waterville College, which he oc
cupied until 1872, when he succeeded to the
department of natural philosophy and as
tronomy, department which he resigned in
1883, but continued to fill for year longer at
the solicitation of the trustees of the Uni
verslty. His term of service at Colby Uui-
versity was thus twenty-eight years, during
the last twelve years at the head of most
difficult department. His untiring zeal as
an instructor will be recalled by hundreds
who were students under him at some time
during those twenty-eight years. But not
alone by his faithfulness as an instructor are
his services to the college to be measured.
During the dark days which the college ex-
perienced after the civil war, Professor Ly-
ford was a most untiring coadjutor of DR..
James T. Champlin, then president in the
work of securing the funds with which
the friends of the college met Gardiner
Colby's conditional but generous gift The
value of Professor Lyford's services at
this crisis cannot be estimated too highly. On
the death of Governor Abner Coburn, Pro-
fessor Lyford was elected trustee of the
University to fill the unexpired term; and at
the last commencement he was reelected for
term of six years. He received from the
College the degree of A. NJ. in 1S4s, and that
of l.. l.. ID. in 1874.
Always leading member of the Baptist
church, Professor Lyford was for great
many years treasurer of the church at Wat
erville, of which he was still member al
the time Of his death.
In 1886 Professor Lyford removed from
Waterville to Springfield, Mass, where his
only son is practising lawyer. Previous to
that be had been prominent citizen of Wat
erville. For seventeen years he was a men,
Der of the school committee, and until his
removal to Springfield was director m the
Waterville Savings Baaaakks.~ He leaves a
widow, May y-D. D. Eyford. a son Edwin F. Ly.
-1aafsi, OF Springfield, Mass, and younger
brother, Oliver S. Lyford, the general man.
ager of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois
railroad
The funeral services will probably be in
this city on Sunday.